Page 128 of The Girl in the Woods

Beth inhaled. ‘It wasn’t her that radioed it in. I don’t know, Matt, but we’d better be prepared.’

‘Gun requests?’ she asked Tom.

‘Yes, get on it.’

‘Everyone head to the destination, NOW,’ yelled Tom.

Jonny’s eyes were smarting from the debris. In front of him, he could see Sandy on the floor, staring into space, her dress covered in blood. Anger tore at his every being, and he wanted to taser Sandy until she begged for release. The smell from the gunfire made him feel sick. His eyes were sore from the smoke, so he could barely see. He crawled along the floor, blood sticking to his hands.

‘Ana, oh God, Ana.’

Then he saw it and immediately vomited. Ray Grace’s head had been blown to pieces. The gunshot that had thundered in their ears was the one that ripped Ray Grace from this existence, silenced his laugh forever and took the light from his eyes.

Sandy Grace had shot her husband through the head close to point blank range. Jonny didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Bits of Ray’s brain were sprawled across the floor. Jonny fought back his nausea and moved further along the blood-stained floor. Please don’t let me find her dead, he prayed.

‘Ana,’ he howled repeatedly until a small voice said, ‘Here.’

Squirrelled in a corner was Ana, her face splattered with Ray’s blood. ‘I’m okay,’ she said shakily and then burst into tears at the sight of Jonny.

‘I was convinced she was going to kill me, and then suddenly, she turned the shotgun and deliberately aimed it at him. It wasn’t an accident. She said he wasn’t fit to be a father and then pulled the trigger.’

She struggled to sit up. ‘I can’t move my leg. I think I did something when I fell. You must Code 0 on my radio and get the shotgun off her.’

Jonny nodded and stepped gingerly towards Sandy, who didn’t even seem aware of his presence. Carefully, he took the shotgun from her hands. Sandy gave no resistance. He then hurried to Ana’s radio, hitting the code 0 button.

‘Hello, can you hear me. My name is Jonny Manners. We need an ambulance … to the derelict building in the woods, not far from the playing fields. One person is injured and one is dead.’

He hurried back to Ana and cradled her in his arms.

That was how the police found them when they arrived, huddled together amidst a bloody carnage.

Tom turned to Steve and Matt. ‘Secure the scene. I don’t want any evidence contaminated. Bag up that rifle.’

Beth was leaning down to Sandy. ‘Christ, she’s got blood on her. Sandy, are you hurt? Speak to me.’

Sandy began to weep.

‘I need a paramedic here,’ Beth yelled.

Sandy was staring at Ray’s lifeless body. She tried to speak, but the shock was too much.

‘Who shot Ray?’ demanded Beth.

Sandy leant to the side and vomited. Beth held her hand, waited, and then wiped her mouth clean with a tissue before gently taking her into her arms. ‘Who shot Ray, Sandy?’ she repeated gently.

‘I did,’ said Sandy hoarsely.

Beth frowned. ‘What? What are you talking about?’

Tom forcibly pulled her off Sandy.

‘Let go of me, Tom,’ she snapped, struggling to escape his grip.

‘Step down, Beth,’ Tom ordered.

‘What? This is my sister.’

‘That’s why you need to step down.’

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